July 12, 2024 • 6 mins
The Footlocker U18 Nationals is a Basketball New Zealand organised national tournament for Under 18 players that may have prioritised or specialized in basketball.
This tournament provides the opportunity to compete against the top players from each region across the country in their age group.
Tournament Coordinator Jay MacDonald joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the event being held in Wellington.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waltergrave from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Nineteen minutes out to seven. News Talks AREB and the
All Sport Breakfast some Darcy Waldgrave. We joined now on
the show by j McDonald. J Welcome to the show. Jay,
Before you respond, a better let people know exactly who
you are are, the senior Events coordinator lead for Basketball
New Zealand looking toward a pretty big day in ball
(00:32):
for the young'uns. Jay, how's Wellington treading you good?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Darcy? Thanks serving me? Yeah, it's good. How about cold
bit rainy? But we're in sight, so that's all that matters.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
That's the joy of basketball. You don't have to worry
about the weather. So Under eighteen Basketball National Champs. What
format does this take? How many teams are involved? Just
give us the skinny on the structure.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Yes, so teams have to qualify from around the country
in their areas and we have a maximum of twenty
teams in the boys and we have thirteen girls seams
here this year. And then once here they're just competing
in poor play and then obviously they try and get
to the finals and take out the title.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
You're at the Arco Dungy Sports Center. What kind of
facility is that.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yeah, it's the best venue in Wellington. I was forming
No One as the ASP Sports Center, but we have
six indoor basketball courts and then on the other side
there's also six courts far other indoor sports as well.
But yeah, really amazing venue.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
And something that I'm sure that it's going to say kids,
but I suppose under eighteen they're probably more full grown
than I am. Some of these guys and girls are.
It's right on the cusp, but at a place like
this a sense of occasion for all of the athletes.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Absolutely. A lot of these kids, you know, they grow up,
they want to represent their home association, their home region
and doing it in a sport they love like basketball.
A lot of them, you know, really look forward to that,
put it on their calendar for the year to try
and make the tournament. So yeah, they really love it.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Always talking about basketball having a huge amount of traction
amongst the youth of today and watching it and playing
it as well. Is that reflected in the size and
the intensity of tournaments like this Jay?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Absolutely. Yeah, It's been pretty well documented over the last
couple of years, the growth we've had in the sport
in terms of playing numbers, and then that showe and
the quality on display at the tournament as well. All
the kids here are amazing. Just you know a lot
of kids they play against each other and they grow
up and then they get to this level. They've already
trained for years to get here. So when it comes.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
To the quality of the teams, who's right up the top?
Who do you look toward? Do we go in there
with the pre all name favorites for one of a
better phrase, Jake.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I mean there's always associations which tend to be there
thereabouts when it comes to final time. But it's good
because this year we've got Nelson and one or two
in the boys final who are too typically smaller, so
so you can't Canterbury and your harbors are always there thereabouts.
But it's really good to see those other smaller stociations
getting up to the final this year.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Why have they gone so well? Do you think of
it's not part of the course.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I mean they've got both teams one or two and
Nelson have a really strong team. They've got a few
of the New Zealand under seventy Nationals boys who are
just over at the World Cup about a week ago
to finished fourth in the world in both teams, which
always help.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
That's the toime they what about Jahina, how are you
looking there?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah? Good? So the final there is Totong of versus
why Cut or so it's a mid North battle. Wakuta
have typically been really strong in the girls but totong
is the girls team this year is really strong as well.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
When do young athletes like this Are they getting close
to peaking? I'm sure that they've still got a bit
of growth to be done, but how close are they
from being the real deal as far as their skills there,
their application and.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
The right Yeah. So as you said, they're really starting
to kind of figure out how their bodies work. A
lot of them go through growth spirts around this period,
so it's just trying to figure out how to beshuse
body in New Zealand's to be successful on the basketball court.
But a lot of these guys are now working worth
your MBO into EHIT teams and giving them real good
strength and conditioning programs to kind of better apply themselves
(04:28):
moving forward.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Who are the superstars? Are there any potentials out there?
Have the scouts been sniffing about looking at any of
these stretchers, going hey, we fancy about that.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah, we've got a few down We've got a guy
from Melbourne, United and we've got a couple of college
one at Division one scouts down here watching out. So
it's good that they've traveled halfway across the world just
to try and look at our local talent and see
you know what New Zealand has and terms office for
basketball for these players, which is good.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, they would have seen Steven Adams and go howhigh
And there's a whole country like that. We're going to
get down there and take a look at the quality
and as we've seen in the younger too ornaments, globally,
New Zealand doing particularly well. Last thing, Jamie Donald, thanks
so much for your time. People are keen to watch this.
Where do they go?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Cool? So our We've got our last room stutting from
nine to forty five this morning, going right through to
about seven o'clock and you can watch it on the
for Cata Maori YouTube channel if you just type in
for Cartamori on YouTube you find it there, or you
can go to the bathroom New Zealand TV on our website,
Fastball into Forward, Slash TV or Final Thing. The two
(05:36):
Grand finals will be streamed are we live on Forksamori
Linear TV.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
From what time?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
So? The girls final tips off from three forty five
and then the boys final from five to forty five thirty.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Look at that rap just like a baat one Ja McDonald,
thanks very much for your time. You have a wonderful,
wonderful morning and afternoon. Enjoy all the love that the
Akotungy Sports Center provides. Thanks for yours.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Eh, cheers, ARSI, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
For more from the Your Sport Breakfast with Dussy autograph,
Listen live to News Talk set B on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waltergrave from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Nineteen minutes out to seven. News Talks AREB and the
All Sport Breakfast some Darcy Waldgrave. We joined now on
the show by j McDonald. J Welcome to the show. Jay,
Before you respond, a better let people know exactly who
you are are, the senior Events coordinator lead for Basketball
New Zealand looking toward a pretty big day in ball
(00:32):
for the young'uns. Jay, how's Wellington treading you good?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Darcy? Thanks serving me? Yeah, it's good. How about cold
bit rainy? But we're in sight, so that's all that matters.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
That's the joy of basketball. You don't have to worry
about the weather. So Under eighteen Basketball National Champs. What
format does this take? How many teams are involved? Just
give us the skinny on the structure.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Yes, so teams have to qualify from around the country
in their areas and we have a maximum of twenty
teams in the boys and we have thirteen girls seams
here this year. And then once here they're just competing
in poor play and then obviously they try and get
to the finals and take out the title.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
You're at the Arco Dungy Sports Center. What kind of
facility is that.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yeah, it's the best venue in Wellington. I was forming
No One as the ASP Sports Center, but we have
six indoor basketball courts and then on the other side
there's also six courts far other indoor sports as well.
But yeah, really amazing venue.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
And something that I'm sure that it's going to say kids,
but I suppose under eighteen they're probably more full grown
than I am. Some of these guys and girls are.
It's right on the cusp, but at a place like
this a sense of occasion for all of the athletes.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Absolutely. A lot of these kids, you know, they grow up,
they want to represent their home association, their home region
and doing it in a sport they love like basketball.
A lot of them, you know, really look forward to that,
put it on their calendar for the year to try
and make the tournament. So yeah, they really love it.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Always talking about basketball having a huge amount of traction
amongst the youth of today and watching it and playing
it as well. Is that reflected in the size and
the intensity of tournaments like this Jay?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Absolutely. Yeah, It's been pretty well documented over the last
couple of years, the growth we've had in the sport
in terms of playing numbers, and then that showe and
the quality on display at the tournament as well. All
the kids here are amazing. Just you know a lot
of kids they play against each other and they grow
up and then they get to this level. They've already
trained for years to get here. So when it comes.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
To the quality of the teams, who's right up the top?
Who do you look toward? Do we go in there
with the pre all name favorites for one of a
better phrase, Jake.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I mean there's always associations which tend to be there
thereabouts when it comes to final time. But it's good
because this year we've got Nelson and one or two
in the boys final who are too typically smaller, so
so you can't Canterbury and your harbors are always there thereabouts.
But it's really good to see those other smaller stociations
getting up to the final this year.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Why have they gone so well? Do you think of
it's not part of the course.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I mean they've got both teams one or two and
Nelson have a really strong team. They've got a few
of the New Zealand under seventy Nationals boys who are
just over at the World Cup about a week ago
to finished fourth in the world in both teams, which
always help.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
That's the toime they what about Jahina, how are you
looking there?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah? Good? So the final there is Totong of versus
why Cut or so it's a mid North battle. Wakuta
have typically been really strong in the girls but totong
is the girls team this year is really strong as well.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
When do young athletes like this Are they getting close
to peaking? I'm sure that they've still got a bit
of growth to be done, but how close are they
from being the real deal as far as their skills there,
their application and.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
The right Yeah. So as you said, they're really starting
to kind of figure out how their bodies work. A
lot of them go through growth spirts around this period,
so it's just trying to figure out how to beshuse
body in New Zealand's to be successful on the basketball court.
But a lot of these guys are now working worth
your MBO into EHIT teams and giving them real good
strength and conditioning programs to kind of better apply themselves
(04:28):
moving forward.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Who are the superstars? Are there any potentials out there?
Have the scouts been sniffing about looking at any of
these stretchers, going hey, we fancy about that.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah, we've got a few down We've got a guy
from Melbourne, United and we've got a couple of college
one at Division one scouts down here watching out. So
it's good that they've traveled halfway across the world just
to try and look at our local talent and see
you know what New Zealand has and terms office for
basketball for these players, which is good.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, they would have seen Steven Adams and go howhigh
And there's a whole country like that. We're going to
get down there and take a look at the quality
and as we've seen in the younger too ornaments, globally,
New Zealand doing particularly well. Last thing, Jamie Donald, thanks
so much for your time. People are keen to watch this.
Where do they go?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Cool? So our We've got our last room stutting from
nine to forty five this morning, going right through to
about seven o'clock and you can watch it on the
for Cata Maori YouTube channel if you just type in
for Cartamori on YouTube you find it there, or you
can go to the bathroom New Zealand TV on our website,
Fastball into Forward, Slash TV or Final Thing. The two
(05:36):
Grand finals will be streamed are we live on Forksamori
Linear TV.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
From what time?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
So? The girls final tips off from three forty five
and then the boys final from five to forty five thirty.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Look at that rap just like a baat one Ja McDonald,
thanks very much for your time. You have a wonderful,
wonderful morning and afternoon. Enjoy all the love that the
Akotungy Sports Center provides. Thanks for yours.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Eh, cheers, ARSI, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
For more from the Your Sport Breakfast with Dussy autograph,
Listen live to News Talk set B on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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